The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has ranked all medical schools in the country on its quality of learning.
The rankings were based on the quality of medical education provided to students in the year they completed their studies.
It said the best medical science institutions were located in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The IMA said the ranking was based on student’s academic performance, medical knowledge, teaching, and experience.
The top five schools were: The Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, Mumbai (India); Kolkata Medical College, Kolkatta (India and Hyderabad Medical College); Indian Institute for Medical Education, Jaipur (India, Chandigarh); and Jain Medical College in Karnataka.
The ranking was not based on faculty salaries.
“In case of a faculty with a salary of ₹5 lakh, the student can get a course in basic sciences, physiology and biochemistry, or even a degree in biochemistry and physiology,” it said.
It also said the school should have an international focus.
The IMA also said that the ranking reflected student’s progress in their studies and not their academic performance.
“This ranking is not based only on student achievements but also on students’ progress in achieving their objective of attending a medical college.
These results are also recorded by the faculty of the school, which can help to guide the students’ future career path,” it added.
The Medical Education Commission (MEAC), which administers the National Medical Education Standards (NMES), was approached by the IMA for the rankings.
It was not immediately available for comment.
The MEAC has set standards for medical education in India for the past two years.